The Pomodoro Technique Explained

The Pomodoro Technique Explained

The Pomodoro Technique is a popular time-management method invented by Italian Francesco Cirillo. He wrote, “I discovered that you could learn how to improve your effectiveness and be better able to estimate how long a task will take to complete by recording how you utilize your time.” Source: Forbes The technique is popular, perhaps because it’s portable and easy to learn. Pick one project or task you want to focus on. Set a timer for 25-30 minutes, and get to work. When the buzzer sounds, take a two-to-three-minute break. Repeat. After four sessions, take a longer break. Record each session with a tick or X in your notebook The Pomodoro Technique […]

How to start journaling for mental health: 7 tips and techniques

How to start journaling for mental health: 7 tips and techniques

Did you know one of the most powerful self-improvement activities is right at your fingertips? No, it’s not working out or having good sleep hygiene. It’s something even simpler — learning how to start journaling. Although it’s been around for thousands of years, journaling is currently having a moment in the limelight. From self-help blogs to famous authors like Deepak Chopra, everyone is talking about the life-changing benefits of learning how to journal. Source: BetterUp Despite its recent soar in popularity, this isn’t just a new-age self-help trend. If practiced consistently, it can transform your mental fitness, emotional well-being, and even physical well-being. Let’s explore the importance of keeping a journal and how […]

10 ways to boost your self-esteem in less than 10 minutes

10 ways to boost your self-esteem in less than 10 minutes

Everyone has days when they don’t feel their best. It’s normal. But, did you know that you can boost your self-esteem quickly? And it only takes less than ten minutes! I’m going to share ten easy but strong ways to lift your self-esteem right away. These tips won’t just make you feel good right now, they’ll also help you feel more confident in the long run. Source: HackSpirit 1. Positive Self-Talk The first step is all about the power of words – your words. The way you talk to yourself matters a lot. Negative self-talk can bring you down, while positive self-talk can lift you up. Here’s how to do […]

Use Productivity ‘Sprints’ When Your Attention Span Is Low

Use Productivity ‘Sprints’ When Your Attention Span Is Low

When you have a lot of work to do, a short attention span can be disastrous to your productivity. So instead of fighting it, you can use it to your advantage by working in “sprints” rather than trying for a marathon session. Source: LIFEHACKER Like the Pomodoro technique, the sprints method has you work in a series of shorter bursts, so you can get your tasks done without your attention or productivity lagging. Here’s how to try it out.. What is the sprints method? When using the sprints method, you’ll be doing short bursts of work with breaks in between. That’s really all it is, but since taking breaks is fundamental to […]

How to Fall Asleep Faster Using the Science-Backed ‘K-9 Trick’

How to Fall Asleep Faster Using the Science-Backed ‘K-9 Trick’

Follow these four strategies to get more rest and increase your productivity. Every night, millions of people are faced with the battle of falling asleep-and staying asleep.  And until about six months ago I was one of those millions. Before finally learning how to fall asleep faster, sleep was a nightly battle that made my day to day life something of a nightmare. It’s no secret that sleep plays a critical role in our overall health-and lives. It impacts our daily lives and the longevity of our lives. From our energy levels, attention span, critical thinking skills, productivity, creativity and even our ability to procreate-sleep affects our personal lives, our […]

6 Ways to Come Back Ready for Work After a Vacation

6 Ways to Come Back Ready for Work After a Vacation

You aren’t alone if you’ve ever felt like you needed a vacation from your vacation. I’ve found 6 strategies to help you push past that post-vacation dread and get you back on track. Source: Inc You finally took a break from work and went on a well-deserved vacation. Days or weeks of relaxation, foreign foods, and a comfy hotel bed have you wishing that it would never end. But, going back to work is inevitable. That thought alone makes your stomach churn. No one wants to think about emails, deadlines, and managing finances or meetings after an amazing holiday. I know I don’t. However, it can’t be avoided, especially if you want to […]

How Does Emailing After Hours Create Burnout and Impact Your Mental Health?

How Does Emailing After Hours Create Burnout and Impact Your Mental Health?

Employee burnout is a real problem affecting many modern workplaces. Learn why sending after-hours emails can contribute to employee burnout and what you can do about it. Source: Discover Many American workers have heard that familiar ding just as they sit down to dinner or plop in front of the television. A glance at their smartphone shows a preview of a work-related message. A co-worker has a “quick question” or is “just circling back” to an earlier discussion. Technically, the worker is off the clock and not required to respond. But people admit to engaging in email during their off time. Twenty-eight percent of American workers said they check their […]

4 Breathing Exercises Scientifically Proven to Calm Anxiety, Fight Stress, and Help You Focus 60 seconds is all you’ll need.

4 Breathing Exercises Scientifically Proven to Calm Anxiety, Fight Stress, and Help You Focus 60 seconds is all you’ll need.

What’s one simple thing you can do anytime, anywhere that is scientifically proven to reduce your stress level, improve your mood, and make it easier for you to concentrate? A breathing exercise. Scientists have shown that by slowing and controlling your breath, and in particular, making your exhalations longer than your inhalations, you can automatically slow your heartbeat. And doing a breathing exercise for 60 seconds is long enough to achieve these benefits. Source: Inc Health.com recently put together a list of nine breathing techniques for reducing anxiety. I’ve tried most of them myself, among many others. Any of them should create a feeling of calm and clear your mind to help you tackle […]

A company replaced all of its managers with coaches. Employees became 20% more productive–and much happier

A company replaced all of its managers with coaches. Employees became 20% more productive–and much happier

There’s a crisis developing in workplaces everywhere. According to an annual survey by Gallup, employee engagement dropped to a seven-year low in 2022. Only a third of workers reported feeling engaged at work, while almost a fifth (18%) described themselves as “actively disengaged.” Source: Forbes Gallup’s measure of engagement is made up of several elements, which employees are asked to rate. Those that have declined the most include: clarity of expectations, opportunities to learn and grow, connection to the purpose of the company, opportunities to do what employees do best, and feeling cared about at work. Employee engagement began to fall in 2021, the same year the “great resignation” was coined as […]

A Neurologist’s Secret Weapon for Keeping Your Memory Sharp as You Age: Novels

A Neurologist’s Secret Weapon for Keeping Your Memory Sharp as You Age: Novels

Reading fiction doesn’t just boost emotional intelligence, concentration, and critical thinking. It also helps prevent memory loss. If you’re a busy entrepreneur, sitting down with a novel might seem like nothing more than a light and enjoyable way to unwind. But science suggests fiction offers our brains a lot more than just distraction and stress relief. Source: Inc Research suggests that deep, concentrated reading–the kind we do when we sink deeply into a great novel–builds key mental skills like focus and empathy as well as the ability to sift through complicated information and analyze conflicting arguments. Reading doesn’t just fill our brains with images and ideas. It actually rewires how we think about them. All of which adds up […]